42 U.S. Code § 7704a - Report on seismic safety property standards

The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (in this section referred to as the “Secretary”) shall assess the risk of earthquake-related damage to properties assisted under programs administered by the Secretary and shall develop seismic safety standards for such properties. This section may not be construed to prohibit the Secretary from deferring to local building codes that meet the requirements of the seismic safety standards developed under this section.

(b) Standards

The standards shall be designed to reduce the risk of loss of life to building occupants to the maximum extent feasible and to reduce the risk of shake-related property damage to the maximum extent practicable.

(c) Consultation

In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall consult with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and may utilize the resources under the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (established under the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 [42 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.]) and any other resources as may be required to carry out the activities under this section.

The Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 95–124, Oct. 7, 1977, 91 Stat. 1098, as amended, which is classified generally to this chapter (§ 7701 et seq.). For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section
7701 of this title and Tables.

Codification

Subsec. (d) of this section, which required the Secretary to submit a report to Congress not less than biennially on the findings of the risk assessment study conducted under this section and the activities undertaken, and the expenditures made, by the Secretary to carry out this section and Executive Order No. 12699, terminated, effective May 15, 2000, pursuant to section 3003 ofPub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section
1113 of Title
31, Money and Finance. See, also, the 4th item on page 104 of House Document No. 103–7.

Section was enacted as part of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act, and not as part of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 which comprises this chapter.

Change of Name

“Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency” substituted for “Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency” in subsec. (c) on authority of section 612(c) ofPub. L. 109–295, set out as a note under section
313 of Title
6, Domestic Security. Any reference to the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in title VI of Pub. L. 109–295or an amendment by title VI to be considered to refer and apply to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency until Mar. 31, 2007, see section 612(f)(2) ofPub. L. 109–295, set out as a note under section
313 of Title
6.

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of all functions, personnel, assets, components, authorities, grant programs, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management relating thereto, to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, see section
315(a)(1) of Title
6, Domestic Security.

For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see former section
313(1) andsections
551(d),
552(d), and
557 of Title
6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section
542 of Title
6.